Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance covers theft, weather damage and animal strikes. Learn costs, limits and when to drop the coverage.

Explore your comprehensive auto insurance options below.

By Mark Fitzpatrick

Edited by Lukas Velunta

Updated: September 10, 2025

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

Key Takeaways

Comprehensive coverage pays for the costs of your car's damage from non-collision causes such as theft, weather damage, vandalism and animal strikes.

Use the 10% rule to decide when to drop coverage. If comprehensive costs more than 10% of your vehicle's current value each year, consider self-insuring instead.

Lenders require comprehensive for financed/leased vehicles. But once you own your car outright, the decision depends on your car's value and your emergency savings.

What Is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

Comprehensive coverage handles non-collision damage to your vehicle. This damage includes hail, theft, vandalism, or deer collisions, and excludes mechanical breakdowns, wear and tear, and intentional damage. You pay your chosen deductible amount, and insurance covers repair costs above that deductible up to your vehicle's actual cash value, whether the damage happens in your driveway, a parking lot or while driving.

Although comprehensive claims typically impact your premiums less than at-fault accidents, multiple claims or high payouts can still raise your rates since insurers track all claims frequency regardless of fault, with impacts varying by insurer and state.

What Does Comprehensive Auto Insurance Cover?

Comprehensive coverage pays for the costs of your car's damage from theft, vandalism, weather, falling trees, fire and animal strikes. It doesn't cover accidents with other cars or objects, damage you cause to others, breakdowns, wear and tear, or stuff inside your car.


Your car is stolen from the grocery store parking lot	✅	Comprehensive coverage protects against your car's theft. You pay your deductible, and insurance pays for the rest up to your car's actual cash value.
Hail damages your car's roof and windshield during a storm	✅	Weather-related damage including hail, floods and storms is covered under comprehensive insurance. This covers repairs minus your deductible.
A deer jumps into your car while driving on a country road	✅	Animal strikes are covered under comprehensive coverage, whether you hit the animal or it hits you. This includes deer, elk, birds and other wildlife.
Someone vandalizes your car with spray paint and slashed tires	✅	Vandalism and malicious damage are covered by comprehensive insurance, including graffiti, broken windows and tire slashing.
Your parked car is hit by a tree during a windstorm	✅	Falling objects like trees, branches, or debris from storms are covered by comprehensive insurance, even when your car is parked.
Flood water damages your car's engine and interior	✅	Flood damage from natural disasters is covered by comprehensive insurance. This includes damage from rising water, heavy rain or storm surge.
A rock from a truck chips your windshield on the highway	✅	Flying objects like rocks, debris or road hazards that damage your windshield are covered under comprehensive insurance as falling/flying object damage.
You rear-end another car at a stoplight	❌	Collision damage from crashes with other vehicles or objects is covered under collision coverage, not comprehensive. You'd need collision coverage for this scenario.
Your laptop is stolen from inside your locked car	❌	Personal belongings stolen from your car are not covered by auto insurance. You'd need to file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance instead.
Your engine fails due to lack of oil changes	❌	Mechanical breakdowns from normal wear and tear or lack of maintenance are not covered by comprehensive insurance. Consider mechanical breakdown coverage instead.

How Much Comprehensive Car Insurance Do I Need?

Choose comprehensive coverage that equals your car's current market value, but the real question is whether you need comprehensive coverage at all. If your car's value is less than what you can afford to replace out of pocket, skip comprehensive coverage and save the money you would've spent on premiums. Most drivers benefit from a $500 deductible for the best balance between affordable premiums and manageable claim costs.

Consider your situation: if you park in a garage, live in a low-crime area with mild weather and your car is worth under $5,000, comprehensive coverage isn't worth the cost. But if you park on the street, live where theft or weather damage is common, or your car is worth more than your emergency fund, get comprehensive coverage matching your vehicle's full value.

Lender Requirements

If you're leasing or financing your car, your lender requires comprehensive coverage no matter your car's age or value. This protects the lender's investment until you own the vehicle outright.

The 10% Rule

Drop comprehensive coverage when your premiums exceed 10% of your vehicle's current value each year. For example, if your car's worth $3,000 and comprehensive coverage costs $350 annually, you're paying around 11.7%. Consider self-insuring instead.

Choosing Your Deductible

You'll typically see deductible options ranging from $500 to $1,000. Pick an amount you could realistically pay if you had to file a claim. A $500 deductible tends to be popular because comprehensive coverage balances your monthly premium against what you'd pay out of pocket. The right choice varies based on your budget and risk tolerance.

Location Matters

Your ZIP code greatly affects comprehensive claim risks and premium costs. Hail-prone areas, high-crime neighborhoods and regions with large deer populations see higher comprehensive premiums but greater potential benefits too.

Rating factors and their impact on premiums vary by state regulation. Check with your state insurance department for specific requirements in your area.

Is Comprehensive Car Insurance Enough?

Comprehensive coverage pays for non-collision damage but leaves gaps in crash protection, which is why you need both comprehensive and collision coverage for complete vehicle protection. Without collision coverage, you'll pay out-of-pocket for crash repairs regardless of who caused the accident. The combination of collision, comprehensive and liability coverage creates what most people call “full coverage.”

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If you can't afford to replace your vehicle tomorrow, you need both comprehensive and collision coverage. The 10% rule applies to both coverages combined. If total physical damage coverage premiums exceed 10% of your car's actual cash value each year, consider dropping both coverages.

When Does Comprehensive Coverage Make Sense?

Three factors help you decide if comprehensive coverage's worth the cost: your car's worth, how much you've saved for emergencies and the risks you face where you live.

Your Car's Current Worth

Look up your vehicle's actual cash value on Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds. This value shows what comprehensive coverage would actually pay if your car gets totaled. Comprehensive coverage pays actual cash value (what your vehicle was worth immediately before the damage, not what you paid originally or what similar cars cost today).

For example, if you bought a 2019 Honda Civic for $22,000 new and comprehensive coverage would now pay $14,000 due to depreciation, your comprehensive claim maxes out at $14,000 minus your deductible. Understanding this difference helps you decide whether comprehensive coverage premiums justify the potential payout.

Financial Cushion

If you've got enough savings to replace your vehicle without hardship, you might skip comprehensive coverage and self-insure. Comprehensive coverage provides important protection for drivers who haven't built up emergency funds yet.

Risk Factors

Urban drivers face higher theft and vandalism risks, while rural drivers face more animal collisions. Severe weather can strike anywhere, though: hail doesn't check your ZIP code.

Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance: Bottom Line

Comprehensive coverage protects against theft, weather damage, vandalism and animal strikes for $200 to $400 annually. But whether you need comprehensive coverage depends on your car's value and your financial cushion. Use the 10% rule: if comprehensive coverage costs more than 10% of your vehicle's current value each year, consider dropping comprehensive coverage and self-insuring instead.

Although lenders require comprehensive coverage for financed or leased vehicles, once you own your car outright, keep comprehensive coverage only if your vehicle's worth more than you can comfortably replace out of pocket.

Comprehensive coverage alone isn't complete protection. Pair comprehensive coverage with collision coverage for full vehicle protection, and get quotes from at least three insurers to find your best rate.

Comprehensive Insurance for Cars: FAQ

Here are answers to your most common comprehensive car insurance questions:

What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?

Comprehensive coverage covers non-collision damage, such as theft, weather damage, vandalism and animal strikes. Collision coverage handles accident repairs no matter who's at fault.

How much does comprehensive car insurance cost?

Most drivers pay $200 to $400 each year for comprehensive coverage based on MoneyGeek's analysis of industry data and our rate survey of major insurers. Your rates depend on factors including location, vehicle, driving record and insurer. Your car's value has the biggest impact. A $50,000 truck costs more to insure than a $15,000 sedan because there's more financial risk.

Location matters as well. Drivers in hail-prone areas like Colorado or high-theft cities pay much more than drivers in low-risk rural areas.

Is comprehensive coverage required by law?

No state mandates comprehensive coverage, but your lender will require comprehensive coverage if you're financing or leasing. Lenders are protecting their investment until you own the car outright.

Once you own your vehicle, comprehensive coverage becomes your choice. Keep comprehensive coverage unless your car's value drops so low that you're comfortable replacing the vehicle out of pocket. The decision comes down to your financial situation and risk tolerance.

What comprehensive coverage limits should I choose?

You can't choose comprehensive coverage limits like you do with liability coverage. The maximum payout equals your vehicle's actual cash value at the time of loss, so your only choice is the deductible amount. If your car's worth $18,000, that's your coverage limit.

When should I drop comprehensive coverage?

Use the 10% rule: when comprehensive coverage costs more than 10% of your vehicle's current value each year, consider dropping comprehensive coverage. For example, if your car's worth $2,500 and comprehensive coverage costs $300 per year, you're paying 12%, so it's probably not worth it.

Consider your financial cushion. You might self-insure if you've saved enough to replace your car without hardship and live in a low-risk area. But comprehensive claims can happen to anyone, even careful drivers who can't control falling tree branches.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.

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